الصفحات

Thursday, July 20, 2017

New U.S. sanctions on Iran, a response to support of terrorism

On July 18, 2017, US announced new Iran
related sanctions. The sanctions are a response to Iran’s
malign activities across the Middle East. Iran
continues to support terrorist groups like Hizballah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic
Jihad that is a threat to Israel and the stability in the Middle East. Iran has
maintained its steadfast support for the Assad regime. Iran has also provided
weapons to Houthis in Yemen that threatens freedom of navigation in the Red Sea
and the security of Saudi Arabia. And Iran continues to test and develop
ballistic missiles despite warnings.

U.S. department of state-new sanctions on Iran

In response to
these continued threats from Iran, the US Administration announced to day that
it has designated 18 entities and individuals supporting Iran’s ballistic missile
program and for supporting Iran’s military procurement or Iran’s Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC). Today’s actions were taken pursuant to order (E.O) 13382, which targets proliferators of
weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery and supporters of such
activity, as well as (E.O) 13581, which targets transnational criminal
organizations. The entity that is in focus in these sanctions is several
branches of the IRGC like the Aerospace who does research and development of
ballistic missiles.

Additionally, the
US department of the treasury’s office of foreign assets control (OFAC)
designated seven entities and five individuals for engaging in activities in
support of Iran’s military procurement or the IRGC, as well as an Iran based
transnational criminal organization and three associated persons.

One other issue
that was addressed in this report was the illegally detained US citizens and
other foreigners on fabricated national-security related charges. The US
administration calls upon Iran to release U.S. citizens Baquer Namazi, Siamak Namazi,
and Xiyue Wang and all other unjustly detained U.S. citizens. The report does
also mention Robert Levinson that has been missing for more than a decade, the
FBI offers a reward of 5 million Dollars for any information that could lead to
Robert’s safe return.

The report also
addresses Iran’s human rights violations. Like the denial of the freedom of
religion or belief as well as other human rights and fundamental freedoms to
individuals in Iran. Arbitrary arrest
and detention of members of religious minorities and political activists are
common as is the use of torture and other forms of abuse in detention. Iran
also coerces Afghan refugees into participating in combat in Syria, deporting
those who refuse to do so, and it supports militias fighting in Iraq that
recruited and used child soldiers.

The report
concludes with the announcement that the US will continue to aggressively
counter Iran’s malign activities in the region and that they will closely
monitor Iran’s nuclear activity and make sure that they uphold the JCPOA. The
US will continue to use sanctions to target those who lend support to Iran’s
destabilizing behavior and above all, the United States will never allow the
regime in Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.

This report upholds
Trumps promise to hold Iran accountable for their crimes against human rights
and to hold them accountable to the JCPOA. The US will keep a close look at
Iran’s ever move, and rest assure if Iran violates any of its restrictions they
will have to pay.